I am doing this thing on my facebook account, where I write each day about something that I’m thankful for, during the 25 days of Christmas. Yesterday, day 1, I wrote about Alex…my super awesome (almost) 3 year old. Today I was planning on writing about my 2nd angel, Miss Gabby…then I went to Safeway this morning to get Starbucks for the hubs and me, and some eggs and o.j. for breakfast for the kiddos.
Having just wasted $10 on coffee, I stood in line with my eggs, oj, and magazines (you know, cause I can’t wait another week to get my mailed ones…gotta have some reading material/workout inspiration now! Gimmie a break, it wasn’t tabloids…it was fitness mags). Normally standing in line doesn’t bug me, but at 7:45 am, it’s not cool. After being rang up, she went to swipe her card to pay for her food, $68 worth of groceries. I noticed when she pulled out the card, that it was a government issued card, a debit system for the food stamps program. I’m actually surprised I even noticed the card, as she did a pretty good job of covering it so nobody would see. The card was denied, and the look of embarrassment along with the outward sense of worry about how she was going to pay for groceries to feed her family just broke my heart. As she stepped out of line to call the number listed on the card to find out what was going on, the cashier took the next customer and then me. This whole scenario just broke my heart. I wish I would have had my bank card with me, I would have paid for her groceries without even telling her.
This situation has been on my heart all day long. It has caused me to reflect on my life and the abundance of blessings that I have been given. I thought of one year when I was in junior high school, when my family adopted a family for Christmas and took them an entire holiday meal, extra food and gifts for the 3 children and single mom. I remember how excited I was and how important I felt to get to shop and pick out things for another girl who was my own age, and I remember how sad I was when I learned that I would not be able to go inside the house to deliver the holiday cheer because the girl went to my school. I wasn’t sad that I missed giving the gifts, I was sad because I knew how hard it was to be a junior high kid and I had everything, and this girl was going through the same life lessons as me, but with nothing.
Then I thought of a story my mom tells, from when I was 4 or 5, when we were part of a community yard sale to get rid of some of the clothes I didn’t wear anymore. My mom thought I was a real life Barbie, so I had a lot of clothes. This lady came by with her little girl, younger than me, and they fell in love with a jumper that we were selling. The lady asked my mom how much it was, got her answer, thought for a second, and left. My mom says she didn’t think much about it until that same lady came back about 40 minutes later, with a handful of small bills and lots of change. She really wanted the jumper for her baby girl, so she had skimped out on her grocery store purchase for the week to be able to afford the outfit. Now, I don’t remember these details…but I do remember the lady and the girl, and I do remember how my mom wouldn’t take her money AND how my mom bagged up every single thing we had for sale and gave to her. I remember how grateful that woman was, and how excited her little girl was. And, I remember how happy I felt.
So today, on the second day of Christmas, I am thankful for you MOM. You have taught me so much in these 26 years we have had together. Thank you so much for all of the life lessons you have taught me, the good AND the bad. They have molded me into an OK person. I hope that one day, I “grow up” to be a giver and a healer just like you.
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